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Difficulty: EasyManufacturing Industries and Location Factors

Which of the following factors is the primary consideration when choosing the location for an aluminium smelting plant?

  1. A
    Proximity to large urban consumer markets
  2. Availability of cheap and abundant electrical powerAnswer
  3. C
    Access to fertile agricultural land
  4. D
    Presence of a dense forest for timber supply

Answer

Availability of cheap and abundant electrical power
The correct answer identifies cheap and abundant electrical power as the primary location factor. Aluminium smelting uses electrolysis, making electricity the single largest cost factor in production.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the operational requirements of the aluminium smelting process.
Extracting metallic aluminium from alumina involves an energy-intensive electrolysis process.
Electricity constitutes the largest proportion of operational costs in aluminium production.
2
Match the operational requirement to industrial location principles.
Aluminium smelting is classified as a power-oriented industry.
Plants are located near major hydroelectric or cheap energy sources rather than raw material sites or end-consumer markets.

Key Concept

Industrial Location Factors: Power-Oriented Industries
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Manufacturing Industries and Location Factors

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